


Above It all

by Dancains



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: (Tagging just in case), Character with acrophobia (fear of heights), First Kiss, Fluff, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Set in early S3, Slight Panic Attack, This is sickeningly sweet tbh, Very vague and brief references to Ed having a bad childhood
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-07
Updated: 2017-10-07
Packaged: 2019-01-10 03:07:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12289917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dancains/pseuds/Dancains
Summary: As he looked out, Ed could see the skyscrapers of Gotham in the distance, rising out of the fog. Most were still lit up, even at this hour. He was reminded of a lighthouse, lighting the way for lost sailors at sea. It felt strange and exciting all at once, to see the same thing he saw everyday from a wholly new and different perspective.In that moment, more than one thing came into focus.





	Above It all

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by this photoset: http://draculas-gay-daughter.tumblr.com/post/166102824963/nygmobblepot-mood-board-a-date-at-gotham
> 
> I can't believe I somehow wrote this all in one sitting?? Any feedback would be wonderful...

The re-opening of Gotham's long-closed boardwalk was, in Ed's opinion, one of the least important out of the many events the mayor had been expected to the attend in his first few months of duty, but, as always, Oswald treated it with the zeal and showmanship he had put into every aspect of his new job so far. 

 After his short, yet enthusiastic speech came to a close, Oswald shook hands with the manager of the boardwalk. Cameras flashed in the front row to capture the moment, probably capturing Ed's image as well, where he sat on the stage behind Oswald. 

As if on cue, the bright, colorful rides and attractions on the long pier that stretched out behind them all simultaneously light up, glimmering in the summer dusk. The large crowd in front of them surged forward through the turnstiles, towards the newly awoken attractions and the now thrumming carnival music that now seemed to emanate from every inch of the boardwalk. 

 Ed watched the last stragglers of the audience amble away across the pier. Oswald laid a friendly hand on his arm, patting it casually as they descended the short steps of the make-shift stage. 

 "Excellent speech, as usual, Ed."

 Ed tilted his head thoughtfully. "If it was excellent, it was only because of your passionate delivery."

 Oswald beamed at him. "Once again, you're too kind. I am genuinely glad though, to see some of the plans to "beautify" Gotham come to fruition." It had been an idea originally proposed by someone who had worked under the former mayor, but it had never been put into action due to a lack of interest and resources. One of the first things Oswald had done in office was allocate funds to go towards it. Anything to make Gotham a safer, nicer place to live, according to Oswald, was something worth doing.

 "Yes, any additional income for the city due to tourism could be greatly beneficial. This could also be a boost for businesses near the boardwalk."

 Oswald nodded, studying the shimmering lights in the distance. When he turned back, Ed was walking away, in the direction of the parking lot.

 "Where are you going?"

 Ed quirked an eyebrow, "Back to the car."

 "Don't you want to walk around?"

 "Well, if you do, sure," Ed answered agreeably, if not slightly surprised.

 Oswald took his arm again, steering him in the right direction. The employee at the turnstile, recognizing Oswald, had the good graces to not ask either of them for a ticket. 

 Soon they were meandering through the throngs of people, amid all of the sounds, sights and smells of the boardwalk.

 "I didn't grow up in the city, but I'm sure you've been here before," said Ed, leaning in ever so closely so Oswald could hear him over the din of the crowd.

 "No actually, I haven't. From what I gather, the boardwalk had been rather run-down for a number of years before it finally closed. My mother certainly never took me. It had a bad reputation, even for Gotham--shady carnies, junkies shooting up under the pier, disgusting food, rigged games, faulty rides...you name it. This is certainly an improvement."

 Ed nodded, "I'm sure the games are all still rigged, though."

 Oswald laughed brightly, and Ed felt a warmth in his chest.

 "We'll have to see for ourselves whether or not the food's still inedible," Oswald finally replied, jerking his head towards a nearby concession stand.

 Ed watched as Oswald purchased one of the largest cinnamon rolls Ed had ever seen, and simply bought himself a decaf coffee for the sake of having something warm in his hands. As usual Oswald insisted on paying for his drink, and Ed didn't have the heart to argue. 

 "It's to make up for all of that spicy mustard I ate at your apartment," Oswald had joked once before, even though anything he might have owed Ed was long paid back in the many things Oswald had since bought for him. Ed had forced himself to stop keeping track.

 They carried their newly acquired concessions to a bench at the edge of the boardwalk. It was slightly quieter, and Ed could hear the lapping of dark waves a few meters below them. Even the savory scents of boardwalk food couldn't cover the crisp, salty smell of the ocean that lingered underneath. Ed hadn't spent much time near the ocean before, but he found it oddly comforting. The dropping temperature had brought a soft, rolling fog, which seemed to envelope and blur the boardwalk's neon lights in a hazy blanket. 

 He sipped coffee from the paper cup contemplatively. "This reminds me of going to the state fair when I was a kid."

 "Oh?" His errant observation had piqued Oswald's interest.

 "You could say it was...one of the brighter memories of my childhood."

 Oswald opened his mouth and closed it, unsure of what to say. He knew better than to ask him anything more; from experience, Ed kept certain parts of his past close to his chest. Oswald was content to have this small piece, something he could tuck away into the back of his mind.

 He balanced the cinnamon roll carton carefully on his lap and reached out to wordlessly pat Ed on the knee. He couldn't see the slight downturn of Ed's mouth when he pulled his hand back.

 "Are you sure you don't want any of this?" Oswald asked after a moment. The roll he had bought was something more like a small, square cake, drowning in syrupy, white frosting. Ed hadn't noticed that Oswald had taken two plastic forks from the food stand. 

 "I'm surprised this much is even left," Ed joked gently, thinking back to all of the junk food Oswald had gone through while recovering in his apartment. "Honestly, sometimes I wonder where it all goes."

 Oswald rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, depositing the second fork into Ed's free hand. Obediently, Ed accepted it and dug into the cinnamon roll, pushing a generous amount into his mouth. He couldn't help but moan at the taste.

 "Okay, thats...pretty good."

 Oswald grinned, and urged the carton into his hands, taking his coffee in the process. As they both finished off the cinnamon roll together, Oswald casually took a few sips from his now lukewarm coffee. Ed was surprised with himself that he wasn't bothered by this. It seemed that Oswald did a lot of things he wouldn't like other people to do. When they were finished, Ed threw away their trash and sat back down, glancing at his watch. 

 "Was there anything else in particular you wanted to do?" Ed asked. He would have felt content just sitting there in silence with Oswald, taking in the lively sights around them to the background noise of gently rolling waves. 

 Oswald looked thoughtful for a moment, surveying the pier. "I wouldn't mind going on the Ferris wheel. I'm sure the view from the top must be spectacular."

 Ed swallowed. "The Ferris wheel?" He looked up at the towering ride where it sat in the center of the boardwalk--its tallest attraction. The neon lights that lined the wheel spokes flashed and pulsed in dizzying patterns of electric red, blue, green, and violet. 

Oswald smiled at him expectantly.

 "Sure," Ed answered.

 They made their way through rows of food stands and carnival games to the base of the Ferris wheel. They probably could have pushed to the front of the short line but instead waited patiently as others boarded. 

 Ed tried to look at ease as they were soon ushered onto an empty gondola. He hadn't thought the compartments would be so open to the night air. As the small door was shut unceremoniously by the ride operator, they began to slowly lurch forward. Ed gripped the edge of the seat.

 "Huh, I would have thought something like this would have seat belts." Ed murmured, trying to sound casual.

 "I guess that renovation budget only went so far," Oswald joked.

 Ed only nodded.

 Oswald glanced at him, a hint of concern worrying at his brow, but didn't say anything else. As they ascended into the foggy night sky, Oswald watched the boardwalk drop below them, all laid out in its glittering, thriving beauty. The people looked like little ants, bathed in neon, and the light from the ferris wheel was reflected on the surface of the ocean, reminding him of a sunset. The round shape of the compartment offered them a 360 degree view of the surround landscape, as they rose higher Oswald could see the lights of the city coming into view in the opposite direction. 

 "Ed, look, you can just barely see downtown from here."

 He looked back at Ed, who was breathing silently but heavily through his mouth, eyes trained steadily on the floor of the compartment. His knuckles were white where they clenched the edge of the seat.

 "Ed, what's wrong?" Oswald scooted to sit closer to him.

 Ed looked back up at him reluctantly. "It's just," he exhaled shakily, "I thought I would have gotten over it by now."

 Oswald put an arm over his shoulder, patting his arm reassuringly. "Are you...afraid of heights?"

 Ed nodded, seemingly mortified. "It's just so stupid and irrational. Intellectually, I know we're perfectly safe, that the likelihood of anything happening is exceptionally low, but I can't help feeling...panicked. I  _hate_ feeling out of control like this," he muttered the last part through clenched teeth. "I'm so sorry, Oswald."

 Oswald pulled him closer, intertwining their fingers with his free hand and squeezing tightly. Ed immediately felt more grounded by the contact. 

 "Ed, you have absolutely  _nothing,_ to apologize for," Oswald insisted. "Why didn't you tell me? We could have done something else, or just have gone home, if you wanted."

 "It's been such a long time since anything like this happened to me, I thought..." He could feel Oswald rubbing small circles into the back of his hand with his thumb. "...I just wanted you to have a nice time," he admitted.

 "Oh, Ed." Oswald murmured softly. Ed noticed how close their faces were, Oswald's expression open and tender.

 Suddenly, the ride came to an abrupt stop. In the distance, they could hear disgruntled complaints from other ride passengers. Their gondola shifted, swaying in the strong seaward wind. They were at the very top of the Ferris wheel's arc.

 "Oh, dear," whispered Ed. "Oh, God."

 "Ed, look at me," Oswald said firmly, taking his face in both hands. "We're fine. Take some deep breaths."

 He held Oswald's gaze as he followed the command, inhaling and exhaling as Oswald counted for him. After a few moments he felt that he could speak.

 "I don't know what I would do if I didn't have you with me, Oswald."

 Oswald blinked a few times, an almost sad sort of smile forming on his lips. "You have no idea how many times a day I think that about you."

 Seemingly aware that Ed had calmed down to some degree, he dropped his hands from Ed's face. Ed's fingers were still wrapped snuggly around his bicep. 

After a brief moment of silence the ride slowly went into motion again. 

 They laughed nervously, both still unwilling to totally break away. Ed kept his hand on Oswald's arm, as if to anchor himself.

 "I'm feeling...a lot calmer."

 "I'm very glad to hear it." 

 "If I'm on this thing, I might as well try to take in a little bit of the view before we get back down." He had been avoiding looking at anything outside the compartment, really anything besides Oswald, who nodded encouragingly.

 As he looked out, Ed could see the skyscrapers of Gotham in the distance, rising out of the fog. Most were still lit up, even at this hour. He was reminded of a lighthouse, lighting the way for lost sailors at sea. It felt strange and exciting all at once, to see the same thing he saw everyday from a wholly new and different perspective. 

 In that moment, more than one thing came into focus. 

 He met Oswald's eyes again, realizing that he had been watching Ed all the while, as Ed had been observing the city. Ed moved tentatively towards him, tilting his head. Oswald didn't move away. 

 He felt Oswald melt against him as their lips met. Ed closed his eyes and deepened the kiss, feeling something like electricity shoot through him as Oswald responded in turn, inexperienced but enthusiastic. His finger's raked through Ed's neatly combed hair, pushing it out of place. When they broke away to breath, Oswald was beaming. 

 "As much as I hate to point this out," Oswald panted, "I think we're almost back down."

 Ed glanced down over the edge of the gondola, confirming the statement. He felt the grin remain on his face as he quickly adjusted his suit and smoothed his hair back into place. They smiled at each other conspiratorially as their compartment finally reached the bottom of its arc. Ed pushed the small door open with a flourish, before the operator could. 

 "After you, Mayor Cobblepot." 

 "Why, thank you, Mr. Nygma."

They both stepped back onto the safety of the boardwalk's solid planks. At the same time Ed felt as if he was stepping into new and unexplored territory, but instead of fear he only felt elation. 

 After another shared glance with Oswald, they strolled towards the exit, discreetly linking arms as they passed through the crowds.

   
That next morning, Ed was disappointed to come down to an unoccupied breakfast table. They had barely spoken that night, both too giddy by what had just happened. Oswald had kissed him on the back of the hand before hurriedly excusing himself for the night. The memory of soft lips against his skin made his heart flutter. 

 He listened, slightly disgruntled, as Olga explained that Oswald had left the house very early that morning on urgent business. At least her English skills had been improving. 

 "Did not want to wake you from sleeping," Olga continued, "...very thoughtful, he is," she added poignantly. Ed nodded in agreement. He felt bad for having been annoyed. 

 As he sat down to eat the luxurious breakfast spread that remained, he noticed the folded newspaper set in front of his usual seat--that morning's early edition. The reopening of the boardwalk had been front page news, and the storied continued on a later page, which the paper had been left open to. He began to skim the article before his attention was diverted by a small photo near the bottom of the page. There, in grainy halftone, was him and Oswald, sitting on the bench that previous night, sharing the cinnamon roll. The caption below it read:  _Mayor Oswald Cobblepot (L) partaking in some of Gotham Boardwalk's brand new culinary treats, alongside his Chief of Staff, Edward Nygma._

 While he would usually be peeved by someone taking his photo without his awareness, a larger part of him was fondly amused that this precise moment was captured permanently, as something tangible he could hold in his hands. Content smiles graced both of their tiny black-and-white faces. Ed carefully creased the newspaper and tore around the edge of the picture. Making sure not to fold or wrinkle it, he slipped the piece of newspaper into the inner pocket of his suit jacket. He ate quickly, taking his coffee to go. 

Although Ed was far from a superstitious man, the photo felt like a lucky talisman over his heart. With newfound elation, he was ready to face the day.


End file.
